The present invention generally relates to cases for electronic devices, especially portable devices like smartphones and tablets. There are many types of electronic devices including personal digital assistants (PDAs), computers, laptop computers, smartphones, mobile phones, satellite phones, cellular phones, pagers, music player, MP3 players, media players, digital cameras, video cameras, bar code scanner, global positioning system (GPS), and portable game consoles.
These portable electronic devices allow people to play and record music, send and receive e-mail, send text messages, browse Web pages, make phone calls, play and record video, take and view pictures, edit documents, and much more. These devices continue to revolutionize the way people interact, learn, connect with other people, conduct business, and find things. They help people manage their daily lives and can be a source of entertainment. These devices can be used to store valuable information including personal information (e.g., phone numbers, financial information, private photos or videos, and favorite music tracks).
Typically these devices are intended to be carried or moved about. As such, these devices are more vulnerable to damage as compared to nonportable devices. These devices are more likely to be accidentally dropped, hit, or scratched. Some types of damage may be cosmetic (e.g., scratch). However, other types of damage may ruin or limit the functionality of the device. Often these devices contain sensitive and fragile components (e.g., screen, camera lens, flash, processors, accelerometers, and sensors). Accidentally dropping the device could render various features unusable.
Therefore, it is desirable to protect the electronic device while still allowing features of the device to be easily accessed.